MARK FOSTER CLUBHOUSE LEADER ON 66 AT GLENEAGLES

JAMES BYRNE STARTS TOMORROW MORNING

AT THREE UNDER PAR AFTER 11 HOLES

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Sixteen years after his unbeaten part in sending Tiger Woods to Walker Cup defeat, England's Mark Foster is hoping to seal a return to team golf in real style this weekend.
The 36-year-old from Worksop - a town best known in the sport as Lee Westwood's home - took the first day lead in the fog-delayed Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles with a six under par 66.
Although his only European Tour victory remains eight years ago, Foster's season is shaping up to be easily his best yet.
He is on course to earn a place in Britain and Ireland's Seve Trophy side for the first time and says of next month's match against Continental Europe in Paris: "I've been trying hard all year to make it and if it comes around it will be a massive thing for me."
Not even a problem with wasps and bees could prevent Foster from making a flying start and establishing a one-stroke advantage over Spaniard Ignacio Garrido and Argentina's Tano Goya.
While Ryder Cupper Ross Fisher crashed to five over as he was affected by them - he then hit back to finish with a 71 - his fellow Englishman carried on regardless and turned in a brilliant 30, no fewer than 10 shots better.
"I remember having to make a birdie putt with a wasp on the ball," he said.
"It's going to come off when you hit it and I just felt in a good place, so I hit the putt."
The former English amateur champion, who was back playing with his Walker Cup partner David Howell, had two more birdies on the front nine, but there were two bogeys as well and that kept his lead over Garrido and Goya down to a single stroke.
Peter Lawrie, Felipe Aguilar and Thomas Björn were a shot further back on four under, with 14 players grouped together on three under, including a number still yet to complete their first rounds.
Foster's round came after he warmed up no fewer than three times because of the morning fog.
"I wanted to get loose and be ready to go, so it was a good sacrifice to do it," he explained.
Foster had chances to win both the BMW International and French Open this summer, but after leading with a round to go both times had to be content with finishing third one week and then joint runner-up the next.
Neither affected him as badly as last year's Open de España, however, when he was three clear and then lost by one after missing three-foot putts on the 16th and 18th.
"I learned a lot from that," he said. "I would say I lost that tournament through nerves really, just not controlling myself.
"But I think it took that week for me to be able to play the way I've been playing at the moment, where I have more belief in myself and know I can do it.
"I think I'm a better person and a better player."
Goya, who carded six birdies along with a solitary bogey, took heart from his impressive performance today.
"I've been working a lot, and I think things are starting to go together,” said the Argentinian. “The year is long and I still have a lot of tournaments to play and hopefully I can get in The Race to Dubai. That's my goal this year.”
Veteran Garrido, meanwhile, was also happy to be in contention on five under, having excelled in tricky conditions.
“I think anything under par around here is a good score,” said the 39-year-old. “Today the course is playing long, with all of the rain, the ball was running nothing, so it was quite long.
“I think the key was that I played very solid, just hit most of the fairways, most of the greens, and took my chances. I never really got in trouble and that's probably what is the main thing to do here.”
Play did not begin until 10.10am - 160 minutes later than planned - and it meant the first round spilled into a second day.
Among the later starters were Colin Montgomerie and Jose Maria Olazabal, Ryder Cup Captains past and present. They were one under and one over respectively with two to play when it became too dark to continue and play was suspended until tomorrow.
Earlier in the day Liverpool's Nick Dougherty was two under after three and joint leader, but his run of missed cuts going back to last November looks set to reach 21 after he fell away to card a 76.
SCOTSWATCH: Walker Cup selection James Byrne (pictured above) from Banchory is three under par after 11 holes when he resumes his round tomorrow morning. Richie Ramsay is two under after 16 - two holes to play tomorrow morning. Another Aberdonian is not so well placed. Paul Lawrie is one over after 15.

LEADERBOARD
Par 72
66 Mark Foster (England)
67 Ignacio Garrido (Spain), Tano Goya (Argentina)
68 Peter Lawrie (Ireland), Felipe Aguilar (Chile), Thomas Bjorn.

SCOTS' SCORES
To finish their rounds
-3 after 11 James Byrne (amateur)
-2 after 16 Richie Ramsay
-1 after 16 Colin Montgomerie
Level par after 13 Paul McKechnie
+1 after 15 Paul Lawrie
+3 after 16 David Drysdale
+4 after 15 Scott Jamieson
+4 after 11 Stephen Gay
Completed rounds
70 Alastair Forsyth, Marc Warren
71 Chris Doak, Callum Macaulay, Gary Orr.
72 Jason McCreadie
73 Elliot Saltman, Lloyd Saltman
74 David Patrick, Stephen Gallacher.
75 Greig Hutcheon
76 Peter Whiteford, George Murray, Steven O'Hara
77 Scott Henderson
80 James White (amateur), Ian Redford

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL FOR KEIR McNICOLL?

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com
It's been a long hard slog for Carnoustie's Keir McNicoll since he turned pro after an excellent CV as an amateur with a handicap of +5 but he might just be turning the corner at last.
After two rounds of this week's PGA EuroPro Tour event, the Network Veka Classic, at De Vere Mottram Hall, Cheshire, Keir is lying joint 13th on four-under-par 140 with scores of 69 and 71.
He is 10 shots behind the leader by seven, Chris Hanson (Woodsome Hall) (67-63 for 130) but a top-10 finish is well within the Scot's capabilities and would be a terrific boost to his confidence.
Zack Saltman (Archerfield Links) is joint 21st on 141 with scores of 71 and 70.
Another Lothians man, former Scottish amateur champion John Gallagher (Swanston) is on 142 after a splendid second-round 66. Wales-based former Scottish boys' match-play champion Paul Doherty is also on 142 with rounds of 70 and 72.
Ross Cameron from McDonald Ellon and Archerfield's former Scottish boys champion, Lee Harper, both made the cut with nothing to spare on 143. McDonald scored 72 and 71, Harper 73 and 70.
Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw), Duncan Stewart (Grantown on Spey) and Chris Kelly (Cawder) all missed out on 145. McAllister's scores were 75 and 70, Stewart 73 and 72, Kelly 78 and 67.
Ed Wood (Crow Wood) had scores of 72 and 74 for 146.
Anglo-Scot Thomas Higson, based at the host club, and Martin Lawrence (Newmachar) both totalled 153. Higson scored 80 and 73, Lawrence 78 and 75.
Steven Mackie (Dunnikier Park), after a opening round of 72, had a No Return.

HEBERT AND FLEETWOOD SHARE CHALLENGE TOUR EVENT LEAD

By SARAH GWYNN

European Challenge Tour Press Officer 

Benjamin Hebert took a step closer to completing a hat-trick of Challenge Tour victories this season with a superb seven under par 65 in the second round of the Rolex Trophy at Geneva Golf Club in Switzerland today.

The Frenchman, who had back-to-back triumphs in the Credit Suisse Challenge and the English Challenge earlier in the summer, is tied for the lead at 13 under par with young Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, one shot ahead of Austrian Florian Praegant and four in front of Klass Eriksson of Sweden, Italy’s Andrea Pavan and Sam Hutsby of England.

“I saw Florian and Tommy had made great scores this morning and I was under pressure, so I’m glad to have made a few birdies to join them up there at the top,” said Hebert.

“Yesterday I had nine birdies (in a 66) so I knew there are chances out there. The key was my putter today, it was very good. It’s a short course but if you get the right line with your driver you will have plenty of opportunities. I love this type of course. 

“I hope to keep up my form with the putter and shoot a low score. Winning three times is on my mind, yes. We will see if I can do it this week but this is a good start.”

All four rounds of the €218,000 Rolex Trophy are played in a pro-am format, with round one comprising two professionals and two Swiss junior players in each group, and the subsequent three rounds consisting of one professional and three amateurs per team.

“I’m really enjoying playing with the amateurs,” Hebert added. “Today I played with the boss of Rolex and tomorrow I’m with Henri Laconte, a former French tennis player, so it’s good fun.”

Fleetwood has a golden chance to fulfil the potential he showed when he came second in last year’s English Challenge while still an amateur. He too attributed his fine scores to excellent form on the greens.

“I’m putting really well,” said the 20 year old, who had eight birdies and a bogey in a second round 65. “I holed some great putts, which is not something I’ve done for a while. It’s nice to be up there in position, so I’ve just got to keep playing well. There are plenty of birdie opportunities if you hit it in the right place. The course is in amazing condition.

“I’ve been in this position a few times now in the last year or so and haven’t been able to finish it off, so to do that this week would be great.”

It has been a fine few weeks for Praegant, who sealed Austria’s place in the Omega Mission Hills World Cup in November by winning the European Qualifier with Roland Steiner, then a week later nearly claimed the Norwegian Challenge but lost in a play-off to Pavan.

For the second day running he produced a four-hole run of birdies, this time from the third, but that was immediately followed by a bogey - his first of the week – at the seventh.  A fine putt yielded another birdie at the ninth, and he played the back nine in one under par, with consecutive birdies at the 12th and 13th and a bogey at the 14th.

“My long game was so-so today,” said the 27 year old. “Yesterday it wasn’t brilliant but today I struggled a bit with it. I had ten putts on the front nine though which is the reason for this score. And I chipped in for birdie at the fifth.

“I’m just putting so well. I holed a couple from around seven metres, and anything from three metres or closer I know is going to go in, I’m that confident. I’ve been leading a few times this year and I’m comfortable with it. The last few weeks have been really good and I’m feeling great with a lot of confidence.”

SCOREBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
131 T Fleetwood (Eng) 66 65, B Hebert (Fra) 66 65,
132 F Praegant (Aut) 65 67,
135 A Pavan (Ita) 66 69, K Eriksson (Swe) 70 65, S Hutsby (Eng) 65 70,
136 M Ford (Eng) 66 70, A Tadini (Ita) 68 68,
137 E Dubois (Fra) 70 67, M Southgate (Eng) 68 69, J Campillo (Esp) 70 67,
138 M Kieffer (Ger) 67 71, J Moul (Eng) 70 68, D Denison (Eng) 68 70, E Kofstad (Nor) 70 68, C Lee (Sco) 68 70,
139 A Snobeck (Fra) 69 70, M Bothma (RSA) 72 67, J Estevez (Arg) 69 70,
140 M Baldwin (Eng) 69 71, A Bossert (Sui) 74 66, B Grace (RSA) 68 72, S Tiley (Eng) 70 70,
141 F Colombo (Ita) 72 69, R Santos (Por) 72 69, P Archer (Eng) 69 72, B Åkesson (Swe) 72 69, A Tampion (Aus) 70 71,
142 P Gustafsson (Swe) 69 73, C Lloyd (Eng) 70 72,
143 J Quesne (Fra) 71 72, C Russo (Fra) 72 71,
144 V Riu (Fra) 70 74, L Jensen (Den) 71 73,
145 B Barham (Eng) 69 76, D Vancsik (Arg) 72 73,
147 D Brooks (Eng) 72 75, A Hansen (Den) 71 76, C Gane (Eng) 72 75,
148 N Meitinger (Ger) 71 77, T Ferreira (RSA) 73 75,
149 M Erlandsson (Swe) 75 74,

HENRY WONG GETS IT RIGHT AGAIN AT BALLUMBIE CASTLE

Wellsgreen assistant professional Henry Wong followed up last week's shared victory by winning today's Midland Golfers' Alliance golf competition outright at Ballumbie Castle Golf Club on the northern outskirts of Dundee. Wong scored a four-under-par 65 for an emphatic seven-shot win from joint runners-up, both from the host club, professional Lee Sutherland and +1 amateur George Finlay. Brian Bruce, who plays off six at Downfield,  won the handicap prize with a net 68. Leading Scratch Scores 65 H Wong (Wellsgreen). 72 G Finlay (Ballumbie Castle), L Sutherland (Ballumbie Castle). 74 M Pirie (Pitlochry). 75 W Hutton (Pitlochry), B Bell (Blairgowrie). 76 P Brookes (Pitreavie). 77 A J Webster (Edzell). 78 D Mitchell (Panmure), C Westland (Alloa). Leading Handicap Scores 68 B Bruce (Downfield) (6). 69 D Vicary (Craigie Hill) (12), C Westland (Alloa) (9), B Bell (Blairgowrie) (6). 71 G Cant (Monifieth) (10). 72 J Rankin (Scotscraig) (7). 73 J Gray (Craigie Hill) (10), D Black (Dunfermline) (12), J Laing (Caird Park) (12), G Finlay (Ballumbie Castle) (+1). Qualifiers for the JTC Kitchen Express Midland Golfer's Alliance Championship in April at Carnoustie: G Finlay (Ballumbie Castle), L Sutherland (Ballumbie Castle), M Pirie (Pitlochry). Qualifiers for the JTC McQueen Shield in April at Carnoustie: B Bruce (Downfield), Next meeting is at Blairgowrie (Lansdowne) on Tuesday, August 30 (tee reserved 8.30-12.30).

MICHAEL STEWART BEATEN IN FIRST USA TIE

Michael Stewart, bidding to follow in the foosteps of compatriot Richie Ramsay who won the title in 2006, was beaten in his first match-play tie of the United States amateur championship at Erin Hills, Wisconsin. Stewart lost by 5 and 3 to Justin Thomas from Kentucky. Stewart was still in the match with a chance at the turn, when play was suspended on Wednesday evening because of darkness. When the tie was resumed on Thursday morning, Thomas quickly polished off the young man from Troon Welbeck who reached the final of the British amateur championship this year. Thomas now plays another member of the GB and I team for next month's Walker Cup match at Royal Aberdeen - Jack Senior (Heysham) who had a 6 and 4 first-round win over Corbin Mills (South Carolina). The other Walker Cup team member who was one of the 64 qualifiers for the match-play stages, St Andrews Trophy winner Tom Lewis (Welwyn Garden City) won by one hole against Kevin Penner (Washington).

DARREN WRIGHT TURNS PRO WITH SWISS AGENCY

NEWS RELEASE
English golfer Darren Wright has announced that he has signed a long term, exclusive representation contract with 4SPORTS and ENTERTAINMENT, the leading Swiss sports management agency.
Wright, from Rowlands Castle in Hampshire, has today turned to the professional ranks of the game following an impressive career as an amateur. The 22 year old has been a key member of the England set up over the last 5 years and has claimed a number of titles on the amateur circuit.
Having won the English Boys Stroke Play Championship in 2006, along with a call up to the England Under 18 squad in the same year, Darren quickly progressed to the Under 21 England squad in 2007 and then had a string of impressive results in the preceding years. In 2008 he won the Mike Smith Memorial Championship, finished 2nd in the South of England Youths as well as 3rd at the Berkhamsted Trophy. He also came 4th in the Denmark Team Championships. In 2009 he won the West of England Championships and came 2nd in both the French and Czech Amateur Championships.
2010 proved another excellent year with a win at the Brabazon Trophy and a last 16 finish as the British Amateur. He also finished 5th in the England Order of Merit and reached the 2nd stage of European Tour School. With a further win in 2011, this time at the Welsh Amateur, it is clear to see that Darren has the ability to win many more titles in the future.
On an international level, Wright has been a member of the England set-up for the past 5 years with call ups to the Under 18, Under 21 and England Elite squads. He has been part of the winning Home Internationals team for England and represented GB and I in the St. Andrews Trophy. This year, Darren travelled to Australia to represent England in a series of international matches and also represented England in the European Team Championships in Portugal. He was also named in the 20 man Walker Cup squad for 2011.
Wright will play his first events as a pro on the EPD and Alps Tours before heading to Tour School later in September.

QUALITY FIELD OF PROS, AMATEURS FOR ABERDEEN N/OPEN

Press Release From PGA Scotland
The Aberdeen Asset Management Northern Open takes place at Meldrum House Country Hotel and Golf Course, Oldmeldrum next week (August 31 – September 2), with no fewer than 15 amateurs joining the 90 qualifying Professionals in a high quality field in the £25,000 tournament.
Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) will be defending his title, although his amateur club-mate Scott Larkin who finished runner-up in last year’s rain-shortened event will be unable to take up the offer of a place in the field due to injury. Hutcheon is paired with James Byrne, who last week was selected for GB and I in the forthcoming Walker Cup match against the USA.
Rowallan Castle’s Graham Fox, an eight-time winner on the Tartan Tour this season, is the third player in the group which tees off at 9am on Wednesday.
Scottish amateur champion for a second time in three years, David Law, who missed out on Walker Cup selection, has the honour of getting play underway at 7.40am on Wednesday 31 August, playing in a three-ball which also includes former Northern Open champion Peter Smith. Ross Kellet, second reserve behind Law for the Royal Aberdeen event, is paired with current Scottish PGA Champion, and two-time Northern Open winner Chris Doak, and the experienced Aberdonian Scott Henderson at 9.25am.
Stephen Gray (Hayston) and Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills Golf Range), currently second and third behind Hutcheon in the 2011 Scottish Money List, provide another attractive pairing, teeing off at 8.50am with Leven-based amateur James White, winner of the North of Scotland open amateur championship at Nairn Dunbar on Sunday.
This year the field for the Aberdeen Asset Management Northern Open includes two women, Michele Thomson, a former Scottish women's amateur champion and Curtis Cup player, and Nicola Melville, who hope to upstage their male counterparts.
Revealing the draw, Michael MacDougall, Secretary of the PGA in Scotland, said: “Aberdeen Asset Management’s support has enabled us to assemble a very strong field. Meldrum House proved to be a very popular venue for the players last year and we are looking forward to returning there in 2011. We are anticipating a tremendous Championship and it is very difficult to predict a winner.”
Martin Gilbert, Chief Executive of Aberdeen Asset Management, said “We are very proud to be supporting this historic Scottish golf event for a second year. Since the beginning of 2010 we have been aiming to establish the Aberdeen Asset Management Northern Open firmly into the Scottish golf calendar and we hope that we are some way to achieving this goal. We look forward to seeing our SGU boys out on the course and wish everyone playing in the tournament the best of luck.”

TEE TIMES FOR WEDNESDAY'S FIRST ROUND AT MELDRUM HOUSE

 Tee  Time      Name

  1   7:40 AM   David Law (Hazlehead) (amateur)
                Peter Smith, Deeside Golf Club
                Malcolm Isaacs, Nairn Dunbar Golf Club

  1   7:50 AM   Joel Hopwood, Carnegie Club
                Scott Crichton (Aberdour) (amateur)
                Sandy Aird, McDonald Golf Club

  1   8:00 AM   Andrew Cooper, Newmachar Golf Club
                Fraser McKenna (Balmore) (amateur)
                Terry Mathieson, Murcar Links Golf Club

  1   8:10 AM   Jonas Hedberg, Royal Aberdeen Golf Club
                Colin Brodie (Meldrum House Golf Club) (amateur)

  1   8:20 AM   Lewis Burnett, Adam Hunter Golf
                Clarke Lutton, Qatar Golf International
                Grant Smith, Gleneagles Hotel Golf Courses

  1   8:30 AM   Mark Kerr
                Christopher Currie, Caldwell Golf Club
                Terence Burgoyne, Gotastroms Golf Klubb

  1   8:40 AM   Ross Cameron, McDonald Golf Club
                Alan Lockhart, Ladybank Golf Club
                James McKinnon, Irvine Golf Club

  1   8:50 AM   James  White (Lundin) (amateur)
                Paul McKechnie, Braid Hills Golf Range
                Stephen Gray, Hayston Golf Club

  1   9:00 AM   Greig Hutcheon, Banchory Golf Club
                Graham Fox, Rowallan Castle Golf Club
                James  Byrne (Banchory) (amateur)

  1   9:15 AM   Robert Arnott, Bishopbriggs Golf Range
                Steven Duncan (Carnoustie)
                Greg McBain, Gamola Golf

  1   9:25 AM   Chris Doak
                Scott Henderson, Kings Links Golf Centre
                Ross  Kellett (Colville Park) (amateur)

  1   9:35 AM   Chris Kelly, Cawder Golf Club
                David Patrick, Elie Sports Centre
                Paul  Shields (Kirkhill) (amateur)

  1   9:45 AM  Graeme Brown, Montrose Golf Links Ltd.
                Ross Dixon, Renaissance Club
                Fraser Malcolm, North Berwick Golf Club

  1   9:55 AM   Mark King, Kingsfield Golf Range
                Jamie Carver
                Sean Thompson, Renaissance Club

  1   10:05 AM  Lee Harper, Archerfield Links
                Lindsay Mann, Carnoustie Golf Links
                Craig Gordon, Edinburgh Golf Centre

  1   10:15 AM  Stuart Morrison, Tain Golf Club
                Stuart Reekie, Blairgowrie Golf Club
                Paul Brookes, Pitreavie Golf Club

  1   10:25 AM  Joseph McBrearty, Haggs Castle Golf Club
                Neil Colquhoun, Merchants of Edinburgh Golf Cl
                Alistair Brown, Whitecraigs Golf Club

  1   10:35 AM  Jordan Ramanauskas, Gullane Golf Club
                Greg Paxton, Ralston Golf Club
                Chris McCalman, Turnhouse Golf Club

  1   10:45 AM  Nathan Keast, Renaissance Club
                Norman Huguet, Musselburgh Golf Club
                James Erskine, Portpatrick Dunskey Golf Club

  1   10:55 AM  Alan Reid, West Lothian Golf Club
                Jonathan Lomas
                Scott Herald, Adam Hunter Golf

  1   11:05 AM  James McGhee, Duddingston Golf Club
                Brian Mason, Callaway Golf
                Ian Taylor, Drumpellier Golf Club

  1   11:15 AM  Andrew Crerar, Panmure Golf Club
                Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) (amateur)
                Gareth Wright, West Linton Golf Club

  1   11:30 AM  Paul Wardell, Whitekirk Golf Course
                Alastair Mackenzie, Renaissance Club
                Ian Graham, Crow Wood Golf Club

  1   11:40 AM  Craig Matheson, Falkirk Tryst Golf Club
                Scott Grieve, Turnhouse Golf Club
                Daniel Kay (Dunbar) (amateur)

  1   11:50 AM  Anthony Mackrell, Playsport Golf
                Sean O'Donnell, Balbirnie Park Golf Club
                Duncan Williamson, Kirkhill Golf Club

  1   12:00 PM  Steven Taylor, Bothwell Castle Golf Club
                David Thomson, Carnegie Club
                Colin Gillies, Kingsfield Golf Range

  1   12:10 PM  Philip  McLean (Peterhead) (amateur)
                Neil Fenwick, Dunbar Golf Club
                Kenneth Hutton, Downfield Golf Club

  1   12:20 PM  Stephen McAllister, Renaissance Club
                William Colquhoun, Dundonald Links
                Nick Robson (Meldrum House) (amateur)

  1   12:30 PM  Alan Tait, Marriott Dalmahoy Golf & Count
                Graham Forbes, Gourock Golf Club
                Michele Thomson, McDonald Ellon Golf Club

  1   12:40 PM  Jason McCreadie, Buchanan Castle Golf Club
                Greg  Paterson (St Andrews New) (amateur)
                Campbell Elliott, Haggs Castle Golf Club

  1   12:50 PM  Mark Loftus, Adam Hunter Golf
                Craig Ronald, Carluke Golf Club
                David Broadfoot, Dumfries and County Golf Club

  1   1:00 PM   David Orr, East Renfrewshire Golf Club
                Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh (amateur)
                Stewart Savage, Dalmuir Golf Club

  1   1:10 PM   Callum Trahan (Meldrum House) (amateur)
                Stuart Williamson, West Kilbride Golf Club
                Christopher Robinson, Dumfries and Galloway Golf Club

  1   1:20 PM   Ewan Davie, Dunblane New Golf Club
                Nicola Melville, Nicola Melville Golf
                James Smallwood, Fereneze Golf Club

  1   1:30 PM   Paul Wytrazek, Burntisland Golf Club
                Jonathan Porteous, Craigielaw Golf Club
                John Ruth, Clydeway Golf

FOG DELAYS START OF JOHNNIE WALKER CHAMPIONSHIP

The start of the first round of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles was delayed by 2hr 40min due to fog.
The first matches eventually ted off from tees one and ten at 10:10, over 2 1/2hr late.
Last players to tee off in the afternoon may not be able to complete their rounds until Friday morning.

TO VIEW THE LIVE SCORING SERVICE ON THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

CLICK HERE

TITLE-HOLDER UIHLEIN WINS, TOP SEED TWO DOWN AFTER NINE

FROM THE USGA WEBSITE
By PETER KOWALSKI
Erin, Wisconsin – Reigning champion Peter Uihlein, 21, of Orlando, began his title defense with a 3-and-1 win Wednesday over Eugene Wong, 20, of Canada in the first round of match play at the 2011 U.S. Amateur Championship at Erin Hills.
Because of weather delays which began Tuesday, only six of the scheduled first-round matches were completed before the round was suspended due to darkness at 7:30 p.m. (local time)
Uihlein, who will represent the USA for the second time at the Walker Cup Match at Royal Aberdeen next month, won the third and fourth holes, and went on to extend his lead to 4 up through 14 holes.
“The wind was blowing, the golf course was hard, the pins were brutal and I knew pars were going to be good,” said Uihlein, who won the 2011 Hogan Award as the best player in college golf. “I had an early awful bogey on two but I was pretty solid the rest of the way. He is a good player so it was a tough draw.”
Uihlein meets Dylan Frittelli, 21, of South Africa, who plays at the University of Texas, in the second round.
“It’s nice to get the first victory out of the way but it’s still not easy,” said Uihlein, who also played on the 2009 USA Walker Cup Team. “The more you go, the harder it gets. I’m going to have to play well, Dylan is a great player. I play with him a lot since he’s in the Big 12.”
Medalist Gregor Main, 22, of Danville, California, who tied for the lowest 36-hole stroke-play qualifying score in U.S. Amateur Championship history at 10-under-par 132, was two down through nine holes in his match with Bobby Leopold, 26, of Cranston, Rhode Island 
Main, a three-time All-American at UCLA, completed a bogey-free 5-under-par 67 at par-72, 7,760-yard Erin Hills on Wednesday to earn medalist honors by two strokes.
Main tied the previous low 36-hole score of 132 (12 under par) shot by Hank Kim in 1994 at TPC Sawgrass (Stadium and Valley Courses) in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
The first round of match play began at 3 p.m. CDT because of a fog delay of two hours and 25 minutes that delayed the morning re-start of the second round of stroke play.
The last five matches of the first round will begin Thursday morning and the first-round matches that are in progress will resume at 7:15 a.m.
The 2011 U.S. Amateur Championship consists of 36 holes of stroke play followed by six rounds of match play, with the championship scheduled to conclude with a 36-hole final on Sunday.

DRAW AND RESULTS OF MATCHES COMPLETED

Erin, Wis. -- Results of Wednesday’s first round of match play at the 2011 U.S. Amateur Championship, played at 7,760-yard, par-72 Erin Hills (only six matches were completed; visit www.usga.org for status of the other matches)

Upper Bracket
Gregor Main, Danville, Calif. (132) vs. Bobby Leopold, Cranston, R.I. (142) (Leopold two up after nine holes when play suspended Wednesday night)
Harris English, Thomasville, Ga. (140) d. Andrew Yun, Chandler, Ariz. (140), 3 and 1
Bryson Dechambeau, Clovis, Calif. (141) d. Will McCurdy, Fort Payne, Ala. (138), 3 and 2
Jordan Russell, College Station, Texas (140) d. Zahkai Brown, Arvada, Colo. (138), 1 hole
Peter Uihlein, Orlando, Fla. (137) d. Eugene Wong, Canada (141), 3 and 1
Dylan Frittelli, South Africa (140) d. Jim Markovitz, Bridgeville, Pa. (139), 5 and 4
Scott Langley, St. Louis, Mo. (137) d. Donald Constable, Deephaven, Minn. (141), 3 and 2
Daniel Nisbet, Australia (139) vs. Mitch Sutton, Canada (140)
Blayne Barber, Lake City, Fla. (135) vs. Stephan Jaeger, Germany (142)
John Peterson, Fort Worth, Texas (139) vs. Todd Baek, Korea (140)
Patrick Christovich, New Orleans, La. (138) vs. Max Buckley, Rye, N.Y. (141)
Chris Williams, Moscow, Idaho (139) vs. David Lee, Houston, Texas (140)
Russell Henley, Macon, Ga. (135) vs. Kevin Dougherty, Murrieta, Calif. (141)
Max Scodro, Chicago, Ill. (139) vs. Patrick Cantlay, Los Alamitos, Calif. (140)
Cory Whitsett, Houston, Texas (137) vs. David Kim, Redondo Beach, Calif. (141)
Tom Lewis, England (139) vs. Kevin Penner, Sammamish, Wash. (140) (Lewis all square after 10 holes when play suspended Wednesday night).

Lower Bracket
Blake Biddle, St. Charles, Ill. (134) vs. Marty Jeppesen II, Ypsilanti, Mich. (142)
Mackenzie Hughes, Canada (140) vs. Peter Williamson, Hanover, N.H. (140)
Cameron Wilson, Rowayton, Conn. (138) vs. Kelly Kraft, Denton, Texas (141)
Andrew Putnam, University Place, Wash. (138) vs. Juan Salcedo, The Woodlands, Texas (140)
Patrick Rodgers, Avon, Ind. (136) vs. Jack Fields, Southern Pines, N.C. (141)
Jonathan Garrick, Atherton, Calif. (139) vs. Charlie Hughes, Canada (140)
Sunil Jung, Korea (137) vs. Matt Ewald, Topeka, Kan. (141)
Denny McCarthy, Rockville, Md. (139) vs. Tim Madigan, Rio Rancho, N.M. (140)
Beau Hossler, Mission Viejo, Calif. (135) vs. David Denlinger, Lancaster, Pa. (142)
John Hahn, Las Vegas, Nev. (139) vs. Hunter Hamrick, Montgomery, Ala. (140)
Justin Thomas, Goshen, Ky. (138) vs. Michael Stewart, Scotland (141) (Stewart one down after two holes when play suspended Wednesday night) 
Corbin Mills, Easley, S.C. (139) vs. Jack Senior, England (140) (Match had yet to start when play was suspended)
Ben Geyer, Arbuckle, Calif. (135) vs. Ryan Peterson, Eagan, Minn. (141)
Chase Wright, Muncie, Ind. (139) vs. Jonathan Randolph, Brandon, Miss. (140)
Jordan Spieth, Dallas, Texas (137) vs. Jade Scott, Daingerfield, Texas (141)
Will Collins, Salisbury, N.C. (139) vs. Lee Bedford, Cary, N.C. (140)

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